Appointment of Curators for those who died intestate

British Consulate, Buenos Ayres, 1842-1899

In the National Archives, Kew, there is a series of legal registers
and archives, class FO 446, pertaining to the British Consulate at
Buenos Aires. Pieces 1 to 6, and 28 to 30, refer particularly to
transactions and events in the 19th century.

There is a broad miscellany of material here, all giving an
interesting view of the lives of British citizens living in Buenos
Aires at the time. Use has already been made of some of this material
on other pages in this website.

In the Treaty of Amity signed between the British Government and the
Government of Buenos Ayres in 1825, one of the sections specifically
deals with the issue of what was to happen to the estate of any British
citizen who died intestate.

Article XIII says that ‘...in the event of any British
subject dying intestate ...the consul-general...shall have the right to
nominate curators to take charge of the property of the
deceased...without interference...’. The implication was
that the curator appointed would see to the establishment of the
person's assets, the payment of any debts and the rendering of the
balance of goods and capital to the next of kin.

Possibly because there were consulate records that have not
survived, the details of people who died intestate, and the names of
their curators, principally exist for the years 1859 to 1886. This list
is presented here, complete with the details contained in the legal
registers.